1. Field of the Invention
The present technology relates to apparatus and systems for air-borne dispersal of a cleaning agent onto contaminated surfaces to clean these surfaces. More particularly, the technology relates to cleaning of surfaces, contaminated with microbial and/or a viral load that may be hazardous to human health and that may lead to contagion, in enclosed spaces, such as vehicle people-carrying spaces, to reduce or eliminate the contamination.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is increasing concern about the spread of contagious diseases, whether these may be influenza, common colds, or a potentially lethal virus such as Ebola, or microbial or viral diseases that are not even known or identified at this time. For purposes of this description, microscopic fungi are included in the term “microbes.” Most of these microbes and viruses are spread through contact; a first person contacts some surface (for example, by shaking the hand of a contagious person or touches a contaminated surface) and acquires the contamination, becomes infected, and then passes it on to yet another person. This chain of infection is well-known. Some contaminants, whether microbial or viral, appear to be spread through air-borne means. This includes coughing and the emitting of a fine spray of contaminated and contagious sputum.
In a modern urban environment, one of the main means of transportation is in enclosed vehicles such as, but not limited to, aircraft, busses, trains, boats, cars, SUVs and trucks. Some of these are vehicles that are open to the general public to use, and some members of the public may have a communicable disease that is spread through microbes or viruses. Surfaces inside the cabin of the vehicle, where passengers are usually seated, may over time become heavily contaminated with live microbes and viral contaminants. Thus, these surfaces serve to spread the microbial or viral disease to other passengers through contact.
Even in non-public, personal or family transportation, one family member may be ill and could contaminate surfaces thereby passing a contagious illness to other family members. This is especially a risk where school-aged children “pick up” a microbial or viral infection from classmates at school, and can then pass it on to parents and siblings through contaminated surfaces in a family vehicle. Some microbes or viruses may be long-lived, and immunity to these may not be readily achieved. Thus there is a chance of recurrent illness. Merely wiping surfaces may not eliminate the microbial or viral load on surfaces because surfaces may not be smooth and totally accessible. For example, surfaces are often textured and may have joints and other features where microbial and viral loads may persist.
With regard to newly manufactured vehicles, the chances of a microbial or viral load on surfaces are low, unless the vehicle was contaminated during assembly. On the other hand, the chances that a “pre-owned” or “used” vehicle is contaminated and a source of potential infection, is relatively far higher. Aside from the potential health issues, there are often also aesthetic issues with pre-owned or used cars: they may have an odor in the cabin space from pets carried in the space or from the way in which they were (mis)used by the previous owners. This can have a negative impact on the resale value of the vehicle.
There is a need from a public health standpoint to clean surfaces within a passenger carrying cabin space of vehicles to reduce any microbial and/or viral load. Moreover, there is also not only a public health need to do this but also a business or economic need to remove any undesirable odors from the cabin space of public, used or pre-owned vehicles.